MAYO CLINIC NEWS NETWORK – Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in your blood. Your body needs cholesterol to build healthy cells, but high levels of cholesterol can increase your risk of heart disease.
With high cholesterol, you can develop fatty deposits in your blood vessels. Eventually, these deposits grow, making it difficult for enough blood to flow through your arteries.
Sometimes those deposits can break suddenly and form a clot that causes a heart attack or stroke.
High cholesterol can be inherited, but often it’s the result of unhealthy lifestyle choices, which makes it preventable and treatable.
Here are the top five lifestyle changes you can make to improve your cholesterol level and reduce your risk of heart disease.
Top 5 lifestyle changes to improve your cholesterol
Lifestyle changes can help improve your cholesterol — and boost the cholesterol-lowering power of medications.
By Mayo Clinic Staff – High cholesterol increases your risk of heart disease and heart attacks.
Medications can help improve your cholesterol. But if you’d rather first make lifestyle changes to improve your cholesterol, try these five healthy changes.
If you already take medications, these changes can improve their cholesterol-lowering effect.
1. Eat heart-healthy foods
A few changes in your diet can reduce cholesterol and improve your heart health:
Reduce saturated fats. Saturated fats, found primarily in red meat and full-fat dairy products, raise your total cholesterol. Decreasing your consumption of saturated fats can reduce your low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol — the “bad” cholesterol.
Eliminate trans fats. Trans fats, sometimes listed on food labels as “partially hydrogenated vegetable oil,” are often used in margarines and store-bought cookies, crackers and cakes. Trans fats raise overall cholesterol levels.
The Food and Drug Administration has banned the use of partially hydrogenated vegetable oils by Jan. 1, 2021.
Eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids don’t affect LDL cholesterol. But they have other heart-healthy benefits, including reducing blood pressure.
Foods with omega-3 fatty acids include salmon, mackerel, herring, walnuts and flaxseeds.
Increase soluble fiber.
Soluble fiber can reduce the absorption of cholesterol into your bloodstream. Soluble fiber is found in such foods as oatmeal, kidney beans, Brussels sprouts, apples and pears.
Add whey protein. Whey protein, which is found in dairy products, may account for many of the health benefits attributed to dairy.
Studies have shown that whey protein given as a supplement lowers both LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol as well as blood pressure.
2. Exercise on most days of the week and increase your physical activity
Exercise can improve cholesterol. Moderate physical activity can help raise high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, the “good” cholesterol.
With your doctor’s OK, work up to at least 30 minutes of exercise five times a week or vigorous aerobic activity for 20 minutes three times a week.
Adding physical activity, even in short intervals several times a day, can help you begin to lose weight. Consider:
- Taking a brisk daily walk during your lunch hour
- Riding your bike to work
- Playing a favorite sport
- To stay motivated, consider finding an exercise buddy or joining an exercise group.
3. Quit smoking
Quitting smoking improves your HDL cholesterol level. The benefits occur quickly:
Within 20 minutes of quitting, your blood pressure and heart rate recover from the cigarette-induced spike.
Within three months of quitting, your blood circulation and lung function begin to improve
Within a year of quitting, your risk of heart disease is half that of a smoker.
4. Lose weight
Carrying even a few extra pounds contributes to high cholesterol. Small changes add up. If you drink sugary beverages, switch to tap water.
Snack on air-popped popcorn or pretzels — but keep track of the calories. If you crave something sweet, try sherbet or candies with little or no fat, such as jelly beans.
Look for ways to incorporate more activity into your daily routine, such as using the stairs instead of taking the elevator or parking farther from your office. Take walks during breaks at work. Try to increase standing activities, such as cooking or doing yardwork.
5. Drink alcohol only in moderation
Moderate use of alcohol has been linked with higher levels of HDL cholesterol — but the benefits aren’t strong enough to recommend alcohol for anyone who doesn’t already drink.
If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation. For healthy adults, that means up to one drink a day for women of all ages and men older than age 65, and up to two drinks a day for men age 65 and younger.
Too much alcohol can lead to serious health problems, including high blood pressure, heart failure and strokes. Source.
WHAT ARE SIDE EFFECTS ASSOCIATED WITH USING THE CHOLESTEROL DRUG ATORVASTATIN (LIPITOR)?
RXLIST – Side effects of atorvastatin include:
- Gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea
- Cold symptoms such as a runny or stuffy nose
- Joint pain
- Insomnia
- Urinary tract infection
- Nausea
- Loss of appetite
- Indigestion symptoms such as stomach discomfort or pain
- Increased transaminases
- Muscle spasms with or without pain
- Musculoskeletal pain (pain that affects the muscles, ligaments, tendons bones, land joints
- Muscle pain
- Limb pain
- Mouth and throat pain
- Chest pain (angina)
- Lightheadedness and fainting
- Shortness of breath or other breathing problems
- Muscle weakness or loss of muscle strength
- Muscle ache
- Severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis)
- Stevens-Johnson syndrome
- Muscle inflammation, with or without pain
The information contained in this document does not contain all possible side effects and other side effects or problems may occur as result of using this medicine.
Check with your doctor for additional medical information about side effects or other health concerns. Call your doctor immediately if you experience any unusual or troublesome symptoms to include significant weight loss or gain, dark urine, fever or fatigue. Source.
